Machine for operating upon blanks



1 Jan. 14, 1930. H. SEEI Y ET AL I 1,743,489

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON BLANKS Filed Aug. 13, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 14, 1930. T. H. SEELY ET AL, 1,743,439

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON BLANKS Filed Aug. 15, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 WWWZ 6 7 %az/mf Jan. 14, 1930. T. HJSEELY ET AL MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON BLKNKS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Au 15, 925

Jan. 14, 1930. T. H. SEELY ET AL MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON BLANKS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 7 Filed Aug. 15, 1925 Jan. 14, 1930.

M Fig. l3

VARIATIONS m moms or ROTATION OF cENTER OF THE KNIFE DETERMINED BYTHESTYLEGAM 39' T. H. SEELY ET AL MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON BLANKS Filed Aug. 13, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheer 5 Fig. 14. mmzggisza D ns ru CAM CENTER OF ROTATION I WENKNIFE CENTER Patented Jan. 14, 1930 warren STATES PATENT QFFECE THOMAS H. SEELY, OE LEI-ALDEN, AND lEILTON H. BALLARD, OF BEVERLY, MASSACHU- SETTS, ASSIGNORS TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY MACHINE FOR QPERA TING UPON BLANKS Application filed August 13, 1925. Serial No. 49,986.

This invention relates to machines for operating on blanks to be used in the manufacture of heels for boots and shoes, and more especially to machines for performing the operation known in the art as heel gouging that constitutes recessing an endface of the blankin such manner and to such a degree as to insure a close fit of the completed heel against the heel-seat of the shoe, thus forming a tight joint between the heel and the outsole after assembly. a

The heel-gouging operation-is performed on complete heels and on blanks that form a portion'of a heel, for example, heel-sections,

heel-bases or even single lifts. As will here inafter appear the machine of the present invention may, with changes within the skill of the artisan, successfully treat all such blanks with equal facility; The term heel M will, therefore, beused in the following description and claims as broadly inclusive of all kinds of-heelhlanks 'upon' which an-operation thereon of the nature described is desirable. I p

The shape of therecess that is formed in the heel, commonly a concavity, may vary on different heels and it may or may not comprise a rough cut that requires further shaping by subsequently mol'dingthe heel to final J shape and-form in a heel compressor. Due

to the presence of a reinforc-ingshank piece under the outsole in many shoes, the forward or breast end of the heel-seat of the shoe'may be conveXed' to a somewhat greater degree than the remainder ofthe heel-seat, orra'ise'd to a higher plane. In order to provide'for a close fit between the heel and outsole at this point and to prevent marring the outsoleby impressing the breast of the heelinto this higher portion of the heel-seat duringthe heel nailing operation, the concavity in the heel is customarilymade deeper at thebreast of the heel, this operation beingknown as lip gouging.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine forv operating on heels which, with a minlmum ad ustment or substitution of parts, Wlll form a heel-seat concavity having the required proportions and characterlstics for insuring perfection of fit on a heel as may be requisite to cause the periphery of the gouge produced by a plurality of successive cuts to conformto the shape of the particular style of heel being operated upon. In the construction shown the automatic adjustment for style is controlled by a cam which is removable,in whole or in part, and replaceable by a different cam having a path designed to control the operation ofthe cutter in the manner described so as-to produce a gouge of the desired characteristics on a different style of heel.

Another feature of the invention for insuring accuracy and perfection in, gouging heels of different sizes comprises the provision of mechanism for feeding a heel throughthe path traversed by the cutter and means for controlling the feeding mechanism in such manner that heels of larger or smaller sizes will receive gouges of like characteristics, except that the gouged area will be greater or less in accordance withthegreater or less area of the seat face of the heel being operated upon. In the construction shown the means for controlling the area of the gouge in accordance w1th heel size cooperates with'the automatic control of the cutter determined'by the style cam with the resultthat the style shape of the cavity is preserved for all sizes of any one style.

WVith these considerations in view an advantageous characteristic'of the construction herein shown is an interrelation of the controlsof the feed mechanism and the magnitude of the sweep of the cutter whereby the proper adjustment of each for a particular size and style of heel may be made by a single control. In the preferred form of the invention the gouge in the heel is produced, as hereinbefore stated, by a plurality of cuts made by successive sweeps of the cutter across the seat face of the heel. The heel is presented to the cutter breast foremost, with its heelseat facetoward the cutter and lying in such a plane that, as it is advanced past the cutter, a curved'chip is removed at each successive sweep of the cutter across it. In order that each gouging cut may enter and emerge from the heel stock at well defined and symmetrical points at opposite sides of the heel, thus insuring a gouged area that lies Within its curved lateral edge, the heel is fed step-bystep past the cutter, being held at rest while,

' other. Means isprovided, under control of the operator, for varying the degree of this overlap and thus lengthening or shortening the/total length of the combined series of overlapping c'uts in accordance with the size of the heel being operated upon. This adjustment for size simultaneously adjusts the magnitude of the orbit through which the cutter sweeps to such a degree that the first complete cut through the breast of the heel necessarily will be within thebreast corners of the size of heel for whichthe primary size adjustment was made. Since the change in the conformation of all sizes of heels of the same style varies approximately to the same degree with relation to the breast width, the style cam will thereafter automatically and accurately determine agougedarea that is proportional to the size of heel being operated upon.

The automatic lip gouging, in accordance with an important feature of the invention, is accomplished by relatively moving the heel and cutter across the path of travel of the v heel in such manner that the concavity formed bythe cutter is deeper at its breast end than throughout the body of the heel. This may advantageously be accomplished by advancing the cutter bodily toward the heel to cause itto make aedeeper cut and, in the construction shown, the 'cutteris so movable under the control ofa cam as to vary the depth of cut. The depth cam is designed to produce the same predetermined depth of cut adjacent to the breast for all sizes and styles of heels and then to withdraw the cutter slightly so that the concavity formed by the succeeding cuts will be shallower than in the region ofcthe breast.

The heel gouging or preliminary concaving tial height has suflicient material to enable a suitable heel-seat concavity to be formed solely by the heel compressing operation; A concavity formed in this manner will have a surface contour that is complemental to the compressing face of the approved form of the follower mold now usedin heel compressors, that is, a substantially flat center portion,

most of the convexity being toward the margin. Heel-bases, and the like, do not have sufficient material to permit of receiving the full concavity desired solely by the heel compressing operation and, therefore, require a portion of their heel-seat face stock to be removed before compression. It is highlydesirabl e, however, that these relatively, thin blanks be so gouged that the'final shaping of the concavity by the heel compressor will be aided as far as possible. 7

The illustrated exemplification of the present invention is especially adapted for gouging heel-bases and like thinblanks, and it is a further object of the invention to provide for the formation of a concavity in such blanks having a surface contour which exhibits the characteristic features of the compressingface of the approvedform of heel compressor follower mold.

With this object in view a further feature of the invention consists in the provision in a machine of the type referred to'of a novel organization comprising a cutter, and oper ating means therefor which insures a substantially fiat area within the margin of the concavity while yet leaving a concave margin. throughout the periphery of. the heel except at its breast. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the cutter comprises a short, curved cutting edge the size and shape of whichare such that on passing through the heel stock it removes a chip having a convexity substantially like-that of the marginal portion of the heel compressor 7 planes all of which are at right angles to the axis of the driving shaft. Accordingly, upon feeding a heel, breast foremost, past the end of the driving shaft in a plane to which the axis of the shaft is normal and holding the heel momentarily at rest while the cutter re- 'volves, the cutter will enter the face of the heel at one side, sweep across the heel without variation in the depth of cut and then emerge from the face of the heel at its other side. By feeding the heel step-by-step across a selected portion of the path of travel of the cutter in such timed relation that successive cuts overlap each other, as hereinbefore described, a gouged heel is produced having a substantially fiat central area.

In order to gain long life without resharpening, tne cutter, in its preferred form, consists of a short are of the'edged circular end of a tube which may be turned within the cutter-head about its own axis and thus present a new effective working portion whenever desirable. The are which forms the effective cutting edge projects angularly through a rotary face-plate lying in a plane at right angles to the axis of the driving shaft, the face-plate serving as a guide or depth gage against which the heel-seat face of the heel being operated upon is pressed as it is fed through the circular path of travel of the cutter. In the most convenient rangement, as illustrated, the heel is gouged by the cutter While passing through substantially one half of its orbit, and the heel is fed forward during the time the cutter is passing through the other half of its orbit.

In the method of gouging heels most generally used heretofore, wherein the gouging is completed in one operation by a cut starting at the back of the heel and emerging at the breast, it is impossible to shape a single cutter so that it will produce concavities uniformly distant from the curved lateral edges of heels of different sizes and styles. A marked advantage is attained in using a machine in which the features hereinbefore described, or certain of them, are embodied and in which the heel is fed, breast forward, because having initially adjusted the cutter to gouge the heel breast and leave'a margin of the full thickness of the heel'at each breast corner, this margin is preserved and extended along the sides of the heel in making all succeedii'ig cuts. V hen the final out is made the sweep of the cutter is so adjusted that it is concentric to the curve of the back of the heel and the control of'the feed is such that the amount of stock removed causes the side margins to be completed around the back of the heel. From'the foregoing it will be understood that the machine of the present invention attains this result, with the same cutter, for all heels regardless of size or style.

The above and other features of the invention including, a novel feed. mechanism of the type that permits the operator to present fresh heels to the machine during the time a previously supplied heel is being operated upon, and which comprises a primary heel feeding element that preliminarily advances a heel from the position in which it was supplied by the operator and permits it to rest in readiness for an advance past the cutter after the preceding heel has been discharged, thus permitting a third heel to be supplied by the operator during this period of rest; novel means for adjusting the cutter to prevent a depth of cut greater than is desired; novel means for insuring a discharge of the com pletely gouged heel past the moving cutter without damage to the margin about the concavity; and certain other mechanisms and controls that provide for speed of operation while yet insuring against damage to any heel being fed through the machine, and including also various details of construction and combinations of parts, as will readily be understood by those skilled in the art, will now be more particularly described by reference to the accompanying drawings and then pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is front elevation of the machine, illustration of the cutter being omitted for clarity. In this view two heels are shown by dotted lines, the lower heel being held by the side grippers ready to be fed downward pastthe cutter. and the upper heel being held idly against the rigid face by the initial holding clamps; I

Fig. 2 is a right-side elevation of the machine with the moving parts as shown in Fig. 1, but no heels are illustrated. The cutter in this view, is shown at the highest point of its closed path of travel, and as completing its last cycle before the heel is advanced into a position to be operated upon;

Fig. 2* is a fragmentary View, in section on the line XX of Fig. 9;

Fig. 3 is a plan of the machine as shown by Figs. 1 ter;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 show a portion of the feed mechanism, in elevation, and illustrate the passing of a heel past the cutter and the manner of supplying heels to the machine to be held in reserve, until moved into position to be seized by the step-by-step feed mechanism, while the cutter is operating upon a preceding heel;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view, in elevation,- of the heel feeding grippers and their actuating mechanism, this View illustrating two heels only as in Fig. 1; I

Figs. 8 and 9 are a plan and an elevation, respectively, of the main drive shaft, cutter and cutter controls;

Fig. 10 is a detail of the cutter-head, in front elevation, showing the cutter projecting through the face-plate that forms a part of the head; 7

Figs. 11 and 12 are details, in side and front elevation respectively, of the cutter carrier with the cutter thereon, that is mounted within the cutter-head illustrated by Fig. 10;

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic view showing the and 2 but without illustrating the cutcutter,:by fulllines, at the top of its closed path of travel with a chip passing through it, and also showing the cutter, by dash lines, at the bottom of its path of travel. Intermediate these two positions of the cutter is a dotted spiral that represents the radius of rotation of the cutter at successive'downward feed movements of the heel;

. Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic view, similar to Fig. 13, but in side elevation with the heel in section; V

Fig. 15 is a diagrammatic view looking at the underside of the cutter and heel when the cutter is atthe top of its cutting stroke as shown by Figs. 13 and 14; and

Fig. 16 is a perspective of one-half of a heel just after it has been concaved by the machine. In this view, and in Fig. 14, the characteristics of the surface produced by the sweeps of the cutter through the heel are exaggerated in order to enable a better understanding of the manner in which the concavity in the seat face is formed.

The machine of the illustrated construction comprises three general groups of mechanisms, one for operating the cutter, another I for feedingthe heel past the cutter anda third for controlling the operation'of both the out ter and heel feeding mechanisms.

The heel cutting mechanism, best illustrated in Figs. 8 to 12, comprises a cutter 2, having a curved cutting edge, that is supported adjustably within a cutter-head 4 on the forward end of a rotary power shaft 6, the revolution of which causes the cutter to sweep bodily through a closed path, specifically a circular path. The adjustable mounting of the cutter provides for its movement within the cutter-head both toward and from its center of revolution and toward and from a face-plate 8 secured to the forward end of the cutter-head through which the cutter projects and past which the heel to be concaved is fed. These two adjustments determinethe Width and the depth of. the heel'concavity produced by the cutting operation. Since it is desirable to vary the width and depth of the concavity during the cutting operation, these two dimensions may be varied automatically by cams controlling operative connections to the cutter, best illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, 8 and 9.

The heel feeding mechanism, best illustrated in Figs. 2 to 7, functions to advance the heel in a rectilinear path, breast forward,

" step-by-step past the cutter-head face-plate.

The feeding mechanism is timed to advance .the heel one step after each passage of the cutter through a preselected or effective portion of its path of movement, so that as the cutter successively enters this portion of its path a new portion of theheel is presented for the removal of a transverse chip that par-.

tially forms the cavity in the heel. The heel is held in a cross-head 10 the step-by-step movement of which past the cutter is under control of a cam 12, on a cam shaft 14, that actuates an intermediate operating train inthat seizes a second heel held in reserve against a rigid face 24 and functions to advance this heel, to a position where it can be seized by the grippers, during the period consumed in concaving the preceding heel. A third heel may be placed in reserve against the face while these two heels are being ad-' vanced.

The controls for the heel feeding mechanism to provide a length of feed step propor-' tional to the size of the heels to be operated upon are best illustrated in Figs, 1 to 3, and are indicated generally by '25. This mechanism is so designed that an adjustment of the heel feeding mechanism for a particular size of heel simultaneously adjusts the magnitude of the closed path traversed by the cutter to suit that size of heel. This mechanism opjerates, through adjustment of a slide 26, to vary the degree of movement of the operating train 13 for advancing the cross-head 10 and through adjustment of a floating fulcrum 28 (Fig.2) to vary the distance of the cutter from its center of revolution. The adjustment which determines the length of the effective portion of the path of the cutter properly to cut through the breast of the heel that is to be concaved, is under control of the operator. The variationof the size of the cutter path on succeeding circular sweeps of the cutter'through the heel, in order to retain an even margin on the heel of the full heel thickness (see Fig. 16), is determined automatically by a style cam 30 (the pitch line of which is shownby a dot and dashline on Fig. 2). The style cam 30 providesautomatically for an even margin on all sizes of heels of the same style and it, or preferably a portion of it, is made removable and replaceable by a portion of different design when the style of the heel to be operated upon is changed. A cam thatcontrols the depth primary feed slide 22. At its rear end, and

at the rear of the stand, the head is provided with bearings 38 and for the horizontal power shaft 6, driven by a belt about a pulley 42 (Figs. 2 and 3). Between the two bearings the head has a depending bowl-shaped casting 44 providing transverse bearings for the cam shaft 14. The cam shaft carries a worm gear 46, that rotates within the bowl, and a driving worm 48 on the power shaft meshes therewith. cated within the hollow stand with its face plate 8, the plane of which is at right an les to the axis of the shaft 6, flush with the forward face of the stand which surrounds it (see Figs. 4 to 6). The cutter 2, at each traverse of its closed path. of movement, is held in a fixed position within the cutterhead and its curved cutting edge that projects through the face-plate (see Figs. 8 and 10) is swept by the revolving power shaft through a circular path in a vertical plane at the forward side of the stand 36 and faceplate 8.

The manner of-feeding a heel past the continuously moving cutter 2, with its heel-seat face to be gouged maintained in the plane of the forward face of the stand 36 will now be described. According to the design of the illustrated machine the power shaft, and hence the cutter, makes twenty-three revolutions during one complete cycle of operations, but eleven only of these are utilized as effective in gouging any one heel. The feed cam 12 accordingly, is designed to impart eleven downward feed steps to the cross-head 10, on eleven successive revolutions of the shaft 6 and the remaining twelve revolutions are utilized to impart a further downward movement of the cross-head, to deliver the gouged heel to a discharge chute 50, and then a continuous upward movement to its initial position preparatory to feeding the next heel. As illustrated by Fig. 5 a heel A is in position to receive, at the next revolution of the shaft 6, the first of the eleven successive transverse cuts to be made by the cutter 2, as it sweeps through the upper portion of its closed path.

The primary feed slide 22 has followed heel A downward and uncovered the face 24. In front of the face 24 is a vertical guide block 52, the lower end of which is circular and lies opposite the face-plate 8 (see dotted lines on Fig. 1). This guide block, the face 24 and the stand 36 form a heelway through which the heel is fed past the cutter. The guide block 52 is supported from two hori zontal side arms that embrace the face 24 and extend from a plate 53 at the rear of the face. This plate is adjustably secured tov the top of the stand 32 (see Fig. 3) in a manher to permit adjustment of thewidth of the heelway and thus provide for operating on heels differing in thickness. The central portion of the guide block is slotted com- The cutter-head 4 is lo pletely through vertically and grooves areing slide 26, and curved to position the stop centrally below the primary feed slide (Figs. 1, 2 and 3). At its upper end the face 24 has a forwardly projecting, spring-pressed latch 58, past which a heel may be forced (see Fig. 5) into the heelway, the latch preventing upward movement of the heel when in the heelway, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6. The primary feed slide 22 has a rearwardly projecting spring-pressed latch the function of which will presently be explained. In order to center the heel receivedagainst'the face 24 relatively to the cutting path of the curved cutter 2 projecting through the, face-plate, the face has a rod 62 extending through it transversely with right and left threads at its ends that receive sleeves carrying clamps 64 and 66 (Fig. 7). On rotating the rod 62 these clampsare moved equally andoppositely and thus, after adjustment for the width of the heel to be operated upon, are properly located to position the heel centrally in the v heelway as it is forced below the latch 58. The rod 62 is held from axial movement dur ing adjustment of the clamps by a screw 68 its position in Fig. 6, at the end of a cycle of operations, picks up the primary feed slide which thereafter moves up with it. The breast edge of the heel held in reserve against the face 24 forces the latch 60 back, as the j slide 22 travels past this heel on its upward journey, and finally the latch 60 snaps over the rear edge of the reserve heel (see Fig. 4)

The cross-head 10 is supported on a pair ofv guide rods 70, the lower ends of which are received in bores 72 in the lower part of the column 34 causing the cross-head to move vertically when actuated by the feed cam 12.

The cross-head has a pin 74 at one end which passes through a slot in one arm 76 of a bellcrank lever pivoted at 78 on the stand 36.

The other arm 80 of the cross-head bell-crank second bell-crank lever pivoted at 84 on the stand 36. The rear arm 86 of this bell-crank carries a roll 88 that tracks in the feed cam 12, cut in the outer face of a cam disk 90 on,

shaft 14.

Disregarding for the moment how heel A in Fig. 5 is held on the cross-head it will be understood that as soon as the roll 88 enters the portion of the cam 12 that is to the left of the roll in Fig. 2,'the cam disk being rotated in a contra-clockwise direction, the heel A will be fed step-by-step past the cutter 2 which will gouge a chip from its heel-seat face at each ofits succeeding eleven sweeps across the heel. slide 22, now at its highest position as in Fig. 4, follows the cross-head downward, the reserve heel B will be brought during these eleven feed steps from its position against the face 24' to the position just outside the path of travel of the cutterformerly occupied by heel A. The dropping of the primary feed slide has again uncovered the face 24 and enabled the operator to insert another reserve heel C. Fig. 6 shows this stage with heel A completely gouged and about to be discharged to the chute 50. It will be understood that after the machine is primed there are always two heels in the heelway above the cutter and, until discharged, one heel below the cutter.

The function of the primary feed slide is b0 transfer a heel to a position just outside the path of the cutter 2 where it can be seized by the cross-head grippers 16 and 18 when the cross-head returns to its upper position. The heel awaiting seizure is held from slipping down the heelway by a friction plate'92 (Figs. 4 to 6) on a spring pressed stem 93 received within a bore inthe stand 36, that yieldingly presses the heel against the inner face of the guide block 52. The spring bebind the plate 92 is strong enough to flatten a thin heel-section if curled.

The grippers 16 and 18 are supported in housings 94 and 96 respectively,that are connected to the cross-head by a parallel motion linkage (Figs..1 and 7). There are two outer links 98 and two inner links 100, the latterbeing in the form of oppositely disposed bellcranks having intermeshing toothed segments 102. The distance between the grippers, when closed, may be varied'by releasing spring latches 104 and resetting them in different holes of a series formed in the gripper plates, the plates being movable laterally in dovetail ways in their housings for this purpose. The grippers are thus adjustable for seizing any size of heel of one style. They may be removed and replaced by others having a diflcrent end contour for different heel styles. The link 98, at the left, is secured to the forward end of a short rockit as shaft 106 (Fig. 3) that has an arm 108 rising from its rear end. A horizontal sleeve at Since the primary feed 'veniently comprises a tu beveled and sharpened. The "bevel of the grippers onthelateral edges of heel andto open them, at proper times. The long rod 112 permits control by the cam irrespective journey downward past the continuously moving cutter 2. It will be observed that the heel is fed edgewise, breast foremost. and

passes down the heelway with its heel-seat face in contact with the rotating face-plate 8. The heel thus passes the cutter in the plane of its cutting movement and its breast passes from aposition outside the orbit of the cutter to a position inside of said orbit by crossing the upper portion of the curved path through which the cutter sweeps. The re-" moval of a transverse chip from the heel, that extends from one lateral edge to the other, occurs after the breast edge has passed within the orbit of the'cutter, it being evident that until the feed has advanced the heel thus far the cuts will be shorter than the heel width.

The cutting operation will now be explained-v theheel most con e having'one end in detail.

The cutter 2 for gouging cutting edge is about 30, in practice, and for this bevel the tube is supported within the cutter-head 4 with its own axis at a very slightly greater angle than 60 to the axis of the shaft 6. This position of the tube sets the plane of its curved cutter edge at 30 (minus) to a plane to which the axis of the shaft is normal (see Fig. 8) and effects a crowding down of the heel of the bevel as the 7 cutting edge travels through the stock. The

tendency of all beveled cutting edges is to dig in or bury themselves deep in the stock unless so set. The cutter 2 is supported on a cutter-carrier comprising'a ring 122, that fits inside the edged end of the tube, having at one end a transverse tie-plate 124. The two ends of the tie-plate are extended to overlap the cutting edge, forming shoulders'against which the tube is drawn tight by throughbolts 126 (Figs. 8 and 12). The'tie-plate has a lug 128 at one end that is twisted and drilled on an angle of 30 (minus) to the axis of the tube. This bore receives a pin that pivotally secures the cutter-carrier tothe forward substantially horizontal arm 130 of a bell-crank pivoted at 132 on the cutter-head. These two pivots extend at right angles to the axis of the driving shaft 6, and the cutter i 2 is thus held with the plane of its cutting the cutter its carrier 124 has a bore 133 drilled through it, parallel to the pivot 132, into which is bolted a stud 134 that projects through a transverse slot 136 in the wall of the cutter-head, being held therein by a washer and nut on its outer end (Figs. 8 and 10). The face-plate 8 is slotted at 138 (Fig. 10) to permit a sector of the obliquely arranged cutter. to project therethrough this being the sector indicated approximately by E on Fig. 12. W hen the arc of this sector becomes dull the cutter may, on loosening the tie-bolts 126, be rotated on its carrier ring 122 to bring a keen portion of its cutting edge into working position. The cutter has, therefore, an ex ceedingly long life since an are equal to only about one-sixteenth of the circumference is employed in making the cuts through the heel.

The relation of the curved cutting edge, of which the short are of the sector E is the effective portion, to the axis of the shaft 6 is shown best by Figs. 8 and 10. It will be observed that if the plane of the vertical diameter of the shaft be extended beyond the end of the shaft it will pass through that point on the cutting edge which stands farthest from the plane of the face-plate 8. This is the central point of the effective portion of the cutting edge and a line tangent to said point will lie in the plane of said vertical diameter. In addition to this the plane of the cuttin edge, specifically of the end of the tube, is oblique to the plane of the faceplate as already explained. This deliniteposition of the cutting edge with relation to its axis of rotation provides for the removal from the heel seat of a curved chip of sectorshaped cross-section leaving a gouge in the heel-seat the extreme depth of which is -con stant from end to end. The successive, overlapping cuts thus produce a concavity that is characterized by a flat central area. The margin about this central area-is concave, due to the curvature of the cutting edge as will be apparent, and to the fact that only the upper portion of the sweep of the cutter is selected for making the cut.

The size of the circular path traversed by the cutter represented by sector E, is varied for gouging different widths of heels by moving the cutter 2 bodily towardor away from its center of revolution i. e. the axis of the driving shaft 6. It is for this purpose that the cutter is hung on the horizontal arm 130 of the bell-crank, the other vertical. arm. 140 of which extends to a point opposite the center of the shaft 6 and is connected to a slidable key 142 seated in a longitudinal keyway 143 at one side of the shaft (Figs. '2' and 8). At the rear endof the key the shaft has a sliding collar 144 that is secured to the key.

This collar is provided with a peripheral groove that receives two shoes 146, one on each arm of a yoke 148 at the upper end of a lever 150. The lower end of the lever 150 provides a fixed fulcrum for any particular size or style of heel, but its position is'changed when an adjustment for size or style is made in the manner presently to be described. Between the yoke and fulcrum is a roll 152 which tracks in a cam path (indicated by 30 Fig. 2) cut on the inner side of the cam disk 90. This is the style cam. The style cam functions to slide the shaft key 142 backward or forward and thus, by rocking'the bellcrank arm 130, shift the cutter2 bodily toward or from the axis of the shaft 6, and shorten or lengthen the radius of the circular path through which the cutter, formed by the sector E, sweeps. In the drawings the cutter is shown as set for operating on the largest heel that can be operated upon by the machine, i. e. it is seated in the upper portion of the face-plate slot 138, as shown best in Fig. 10.

Another adjustment of the cutter 2 within the cutter-head provides for the formation of the lip gouge at the breast of the heel. The lip gouge is formed by cutting somewhat deeper adjacent to the breast than throughout the remainder of the heel-seat face and to this end provision is made for varying the degree of the projection of the cutter through the face-plate 8. The driving shaft 6 is provided with a second longitudinal keys way 153, opposite the key-way 143, that receives a sliding key 154 having a slotted crosshead 156 at its forward end. The stud 134 fits within the slot and passes through the cross-head 156' (see Figs. 9 and 10) with the result that/any longitudinal movement of the key will actuate the cross-head and swing the cutter 2 in or outrelative to the faceplate 8, about the forward end of the bellcrank lever arm 130 as a fulcrum. At the rear-end of the key 154 the shaft has a sliding collar 158 that is secured to the key. This collar is embraced by the two sleeves of a yoke 160 which extends laterally from the shaft and supports a roll 162 that tracks in a cam-path 164 (Fig.2) cut on the inner side of the cam disk 90. This is the depth cam. The sliding movement of the yoke 160 is steadied, asit is actuated by the cam 164 by a groove at its lower side that fits on a machined track .166 on the upper edge of the central web of the frame head 32 (Figs. 2 and The linear movement of the key 154 along the shaft 6, for varying the degree of the projection of the cutter through the face-plate,'is not great and the key is moved without disturbing the angular position of the bell-crank 130140 by making the guiding slot 136 in the cutter-head somewhat wider than the diameter of the stud 134 that steadies the cutter.

It will be observed that the two sliding keys in the shaft 6 may be operated simultaneously, if it is requisite that adjustments for both width and depth of the concavity in the heel be made at the same time. Owing to theindependence of the depth cam of control by any other mechanism the lip gouge is of the same depth on all sizes and styles of heels. The cam 164 is designed gradually to decrease the depth of the cut made at the breast, in forming the lip gouge, until the cut is of the depth desired for the body of the heel which depth is then maintained for the remainder of the concaving operation.

The control of the cutter by the style cam 30 and the depth cam 164 can best be explained by reference to the diagrammatic Figures 13 and 15. All heels, regardless of size, receive eleven overlapping, transverse cuts as the cutter sweeps successively through the upper portion of its circular path after each advance of the heel caused by the series of falls in the feed cam 12 shown best in Fig. 2. Since the heel is fed from above the cutter the cam 12 is timed to feed the heel while gouging the'breast of a heel'that is in the position of heel A in Fig. 5, and heel B in 1 Fig. 6. Point on F ig. 14 is the position of the center of the curved cutter, specifically the axis of the tube, corresponding to the center of rotation SO. Points #1 to #11 show the succeeding positions of the center of the cutter while gouging one heel, each when the cutter is midway of its circular sweep through the heel. Fig. 14 also shows a central cross-section of the chip that is removed at the 6th overlapping cut. The gouge made by the 1st cut is entirely eliminated by the 2nd cut and, because the cuts overlap each other, the llth-cut is the only one that does not have the major portion of the curved surface left by the cutter eliminated. On all previous cuts the cutter curvature shows completely, only at the margin (see Figs. 15 and 16). It will be observed from Figs. 13 and 14 that the'major portion of the cutting are E is above the center of the tube when traversing the effective portion of its path of travel. This is made clear by the double cross-hatching at the rear'of theheel in Fig. 14 that represents a central cross-section of the chip removed at the 11th and final cut. Fig.15 illustrates the formation of the continuous concaved margin of the gouge due to the manner of the entrance into and exit from the stock of the effective cutting arcE of the tube. The 11th out, that parallels the curve at the back of the heel, smoothly joins the rear ends of the two concave side margins produced by the preceding cuts.

In Fig. 14 the dot and dash line Y-Y indicates a datum plane to which the depth of cut may be referred. The 1st to the th cuts are shown below the datum plane and it is these cuts that form the lip gouge (see Fig. 16). The 6th to the 11th cuts .are shown in the datum plane and are of less depth than the first five cuts. Before the 1st cut is made the depth cam 164 has advanced the key 154 until the cutter projects to its limit through the slot in the rotating face-plate 8. This depth of gouge is retained until the fifth feed steprtakes place at which time the cam 164 withdraws the key 154 slightly, and during the sixth feed step a further withdrawal occurs leaving the cutter projecting from the face-plate only to the degree required to produce the desired depth of gouge for the body of the heel.

Immediately after completing the 11th out which completes the margin M (Fig. 16) of the full heel thickness about the gouged heelseat face,"the depth cam 164 withdraws the v key 154 a distance suflicient to completely house the cutter within-the cutter-head. This is to permit the gouged heel to be fed to the chute 50 without having its margin M injured by the next upward sweep of the cutter. This fully withdrawn position of the knife is illustrated, with reference to the gouged heel A, in Fig. 6. During the rise of the cross-head to seize the heel B (Fig. 6) between the grippers 16 and 18, the depth cam again advances the key 154 and swings the' cutter forward to a position for lip gouging heel B when this heel is advanced into the path of the cutter by the feed cam 12. The dotted line D-D of Fig. 14 indicates graphically the path of the knife as controlled by the depth cam 164.

Just previous to making the lst'cut the style cam 30 has moved the key 142 sufficiently in direction and extent to provide a radius of revolution of the center of the cutter about the axis of the shaft 6 such that when the 5th cut is made (see Figs. 13 and 16) the required margin M will be left at each breast corner. The magnitude of the closed cutter path is increased by the style cam, as the gouging progresses, in proportion to the bulge of the sides of the heel and then decreased as may be required for the final cuts. In Fig. 13 the cutter is shown as midway of r the 6th cutthe radius of which, indicated at R on the dotted spiral, is the distance from the axis of the shaft 6 to the center of the cutter, or axis of the tube as illustrated, as determined by thestyle cam 30. Each successive overlapping cut blends into the preceding one and'since the heel-seat face of the heel engages the face-plate 8 as the heel is fed downward the cutter produces a gouged surface which is generally parallel to said heel-seat face,except forthe concaved margin the formation of which is due to the curvature of the cutting edge and the direction of movement of the cutter in entering and leaving the stock (see Fig. 15). This figure illustrates also the difiering magnitudes of the circular path through which the cutter sweeps in order that the gouge may conform to the style outline of the heel.

The machine is of the universal type in that it is designed to form concavit'les in heels of all sizes of any one style of heel without change of any controlling cam. To this end an inter-related means is provided functioning to control the feed and the size of the closed path traversed by the cutter in such manner that the eleven successive, overlapping cuts may be made to produce aconcavity conforming both to the length and to the contour of heels of the same style but of different sizes. Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the column 3% is provided with a vertical guideway 170 to receive the slide 26 which bears a series of graduations co-operating with a fixed index on the guideway (Fig. 2). The upper end of the slide 26 provides a horizontal track 172 of T sections on which is received a slidable adjusting block 17 1. The block lies between the two bell-crank arms 80 and 82 each of which is slotted. In each slot there is a slide block and these two slide blocks are bolted to the opposite sides of the adjusting block 174: (Figs. 1 and 2). The adjusting block 17% is moved vertically by an adjustment of the slide 26 thus varying the effective leverage of the arms 80 and 82 and consequently the distance travelled by the cross-head 10 at each feed step. The slide 26 is adjusted by a screw 176 threaded through an eye 177 on the column and having a swiveling connection 178 with the slide. The figures illustrate the slide 26 as set for feeding the largest heel that can be operated on by the machine. As theslide 26 is low ered to adjust the feed step for the smaller heel sizes the arm 56, carrying the primary feed slide stop 5%, is also lowered. Thus,

. for the smaller heel, the primary feed slide 22 drops further and invariably brings heels of all sizes to the #0 feed position, or position next preceding the 1st cut, to be there held for seizure by the grippers 16 and 18 at the proper time. The requirement of alonger movement of the primary feed slide for a shorter heel is due tov the location of all heels on the face 2 regardless of size, with the rear edge against the latch 58. As the heels decrease in length the breastlies at increasing distances from the #0 feed position, thus requiring a greater movement to advance the heel to this position. The grippers 16 and 18 invariably rise to the same position so that by lengtheningthe advance of the primary feed slide as the heel size decreases, the breast may always be brought to a position level with the lower ends of the grippers (see Fig. 7) and the heel firmly gripped.

It is obvious that the smaller the heel the narrower its breast. of the feed adjusting slide 26 should be accompanied by a related adjustment of the initial size of the closed path traversed by the cutter. In the illustrated machine this is accomplished by a change in the radius'of revolution of the center of the cutter about the axis of its driving shaft 6, obtained by a proportional shifting of the floating fulcrum 28. A link 180 rises from the rear end of the T track 17 2 to which is pivoted the horizontal arm 182 of a bell-crank pivoted at 184 on the frame head bell-crank carries the floating fulcrum 28 to which the style cam lever 150 is pivoted. For example, whenever the slide 26 is lowered the vertical arm 186 of the connected bell-crank is thrown to the left (viewing Fig. 2) and this throws the upper end of the style camroll lever 150 to the right, this lever pivoting on the stationary cam roll 152 as a fulcrum.

This movement of the lever 150 draws the key 142 rearwardlyand moves the cutter sup porting bell-crank 130-1st0 in a direction to move the cutter inward, 0r nearer to the axis of the shaft 6. Since the change in conformation of all sizes of heels of the same style is porportional to the breast width, the style cam will thereafter correctly adjust the ra dius of cutter rotation, from this initial set.- ting for the width of the breast, as may be requisite to conform the gouged area to the heel contour.

When the style of the heel is changed thenthe style cam 30 must also be changed but the depth cam 164 remains unaltered since all heels, regardless of style, receive a like depth of out both at the breast and in the body of the heel.

of the style cam, between the dash lines ZZ Accordingly the effective portion Fig. 2, is removable and replaceable with different portions designed for conforming the cuts to a different heel contour.

As hereinbefore intimated, and as will be evident from the foregoing description, the

tially circular about the rear of its cutting edge, in the majority of cases a circular path for the cutter will best provide for a uniform margin at the back of the heel being concaved. It is within the scope of the invention, however, to impart an orbital movement to the cutter of such characteristics as will. efficiently concave and leave a margin on heels t The Vertical arm 186 of this Hence any movement that are other than circular at their back,

edges.

The operation of thevarious mechanisms.

having been explained during the preceding description it need onlybe said that the operator places a newheel against the face 24 when it is uncovered after each drop of the .primary feed slide 22, so that, in addition to the heel being operated upon a second heel is always being held by the friction plate 92 for seizure by the grippers 16-48 on the rise of the cross-head 10 and a third heel is held in reserve against the face 24 awaiting the rise of the primary feed slide 22, as best illustrated by Fig. 6. In starting operations it is necessary for the operator only to see that the proper style cam 30 is in place and that the feed slide 26 is set for the size of the heel that is to be ouged. The successive chips cut from the ieel pass through the tubular knife (Fig. 13) and then drop outrof the of construction nor to the conjoint use of all its features nor is it to be understood that these particulars are essential since they may be variously modified within the skill of the artisan without departing from the true scope of the actual invention, characterizing features of which are set forth in the following claims by the intentional useof generic terms and expressions inclusive of various modifications. r i What is claimed as new, is 1.'A machine for gouging heels comprising a cutter, means for moving the cutter bodily in a closed path and across the seat face of a heel positioned to be operated upon I -a tubular cutter having a circular cutting by the cutter, and means for changing the dimensions of said closed path for operating upon heels of different sizes. 2. A'machine'for gouging heels comprising a cutter, means for moving the cutter bodily in aclosed path and across the seat face of a heel positioned to be operated upon by the cutter, means for changing the dimensions of said closed path foroperating upon heels of different sizes, and means for relatively moving the cutter and heel to vary the depth of cut made in the heel.

3. A machine'for gouging heels compris- 1 ing a cutter, means for moving the cutter bodily in a closed path and'across the seat face of a heel positioned to be operated upon by'the cutter, means for feeding a heel, breast foremost. to said cutter, and means for varyingthe size of said closed path in accordance with the width of the heel to be operated up -W v 1 4. A heel machine having, in combination,

V a. cutter movable bodily in a closed path,

means'for movingsaid cutter continuously,

and means for feeding a heel step-by-step in past said cutter and through the the plane of said path past said cutter in timed'relation to the passage of said cutter and across a preselectedportion of the closed path of the cutter.

5. A heel machine having, in combination,

a cutter having a curved cutting edge, means for causing said cutter to move continuously through an orbital path, and means for'feeding a heel, breast foremost, across the orbit traversed by said curved cutter intimed relation to the successive movements of the'cut- .ter through a preselected portion of its or- 7. A heel machine having, in combination,-

a cutter having a curved cutting edge, means for causing said cutter continuously to traverse a closed path lying in a plane, and

means operating while the cutter is idly traversing a portion of its pathto advance a 'heel in said-plane into position to be operated upon by said cutter as it sweeps through another portion of its path.

8. A heel machine having, in combination, a cutter having a curved cutting edge, means for bodily rotating said cutter continuously in a circular path, and means controlled by a the machine for feeding a heel in the plane of the path stepby-step past said cutter in timed relation to the passage of the cutter;

through a preselected portionof its path. I

9; A heel machine having, in combination,

edge, means for continuously revolving said cutter bodily about an axis of rotation oblique to its own axis, and means for feeding a heel scribed bya selected arc of said cutting edge. 10. A heel machine having, in c0mb1nation, a driving shaft, a tubular cutter having of said shaft with its axis oblique to the axis of the shaft and with one point on its cut-. ting edge lying in the plane of an extended volving said cutter bodily about an axis of rotation oblique to its own axis, the relation of said cutting edge to its axis of rotation being such that one portion of'said cutting edge lies tangent to a plane containing said path dey a circular cutting edge supported at one end axis of rotation, and means for feeding a heel past said cutter and through the path described by an arc of its cutting edge that contains said tangent point.

12. A heel machine having, in combina tion, a bodily rotatable cutter having a curved cutting edge, means for mounting said cutter relative to its axis of rotation constructed and arranged to cause different points on its cutting edge to describe circular paths varying in size and in difierent parallel planes, and means for feeding a heel past said cutter with the plane of its heel-seat face within and parallel to the plane of the path of the point on said cutting edge transversing the greatest circular path.

13. A heel machine having, in combination, a rotary shaft, a cutter having a curved cutting edge mounted to extend beyond one end of said shaft, the plane of said cutting edge being oblique to a plane to which the axis of the shaft is normal, and means for feeding a heel past said cutter in a plane at right angles to the axis of the shaft.

14. A heel machine having, in combination, a shaft, a cutter-head secured to one end of the shaft, a cutter supported by said cutterhead said cutter having a curved cutting edge the plane of which is oblique to a plane to which the axis of the shaft is normal, a faceplate on said cutter-head in a plane at right angles to the axis of the shaft and through which said cutting edge projects, a heelway formed by said face-plate and an opposing wall, means for feeding a heel step-by-step through said heelway, and means for rotating said shaft in timed relation to the feed of the heel to cause the cutter to sweep across the heel at each period of rest.

15. A heel machine having, in combination, a shaft, a cutter-head secured to one end of the shaft, a tubular cutter having a circular cutting edge supported by said cutter-head with its axis oblique to the axis of the shaft, a face-plate on said cutter-head the plane of which is at right angles to the axis of the shaft and through which an arc of said cutting edge projects, means for rotating said shaft, and means for feeding a heel across said face-plate with its heel-seat face in engagement therewith.

16. A heel machine having, in combination, a shaft, a cutter-head secured to one end of the shaft, a tubular cutter having a circular cutting edge supported by said cutter-head with its axis oblique to the axis of the shaft, a face-plate on said cutter-head the plane of which is at right angles to the axis of the shaft and through which an arc of said cutting edge projects, means for rotating said shaft, a heelway adjacent and parallel to said face-plate within which said are rotates, and means for feeding a heel through said heelway.

17. A heel machine having, in combination,

a shaft, a cutterhead secured to one end of the shaft, a tubular cutter having a circular cutting edge supported by said cutter-head with its axis oblique to the axis of the shaft, a face-plate on said cutter-head the plane of which is at right angles to the axis of the shaft and through which an arc of said cutting edge projects, means for rotating said shaf, a heelway opposite said face-plate of which said face-plate forms one wall, and means for feeding a heel step-bystep through said heelway in timed relation to the revolutions of said cutter.

18. A heel machine having, in combination, a shaft, a cutter-head secured to one end of the shaft, a tubular cutter having a circular cutting edge supported by said cutter-head with its axis oblique to the axis ofthe shaft, a face-plate on said cutter-head the plane of which is at right angles to the axis of the shaft and through which an arc of said cutting edge projects, said faceplate forming one wall of a heelway the other wall of which is parallel to the face-plate, means for rotating said shaft, and means for feeding a heel, breast forward, through said heelway stepby-step, each successive advance occurring during the time the cutter is traversing the portion of its circular path that is furthestfrom the advancing heel.

19. A machine for gouging seat faces of heels comprising a cutter, means for moving the cutter bodily in a closed path in a plane parallel to the seat face of a heel and intersecting the heel, and means for changing the dimensions of said closed path for operating upon heels of difierent sizes.

20. A machine for forming concavities in the seat faces of heels comprising a cutter having a shore effective cutting edge, means for continuously moving the cutter bodily in a closed path in a plane parallel to the seat face of a heel and intersecting the heel, and means for feeding the heel step by step past the cutter, the construction and arrangement being such that the cutter sweeps successively across the seat face of the heel to remove a succession of transverse chips.

21. In a heel machine, a cutter, means for imparting an orbital movement to said outter, means for initially determining the magnitude of the orbit traversed by said cutter in V accordance with the kind of heel to be operated upon, and automatic means for varying said magnitude during the operation of said in a circular path, a heelway for guiding a heel past said cutter into which the cutter extends, and means controlled by the machine for varying the degree towhich the cutter extends into said heelway.

24. A heel machine having, in combination, a cutter, means for rotating said cutter bodily in a circular path, means for feeding a heel in a rectilinearpath inthe plane traversed by the cutter in its movement, and means for varying the depth of cut made in the heel during its advance past the cutter.

25. A heel machine having, in combination, a shaft, a cutter-head secured to one end thereof, a cutter-carrier movably supported on said cutter-head having a cutter that is spaced from the axisof the shaft,'-a key slidable in a longitudinal key way formed in the shaft, and means intermediate said key and cutter-carrier operating to vary the distance I of the cutter from the shaft when the key is slid in its key way.

26. A heel machine having, in combination, a shaft, a cutter-head secured to one end thereof, a cutter-carrier movably supported on said cutter-head and having a cutter, a key slidable in a longitudinal key way formed in the shaft, and means intermediate the key and cuttercarrier operating to move the cutter longitudinally of the shaft when the key is slid in its key way.

27. In a heel machine, a cutter-head having a face-plate, a cutter supported on said cutter-head behind its face-plate having a curved cutting edge with a portion thereof projecting through an opening in the face plate, and means for adjusting said cutter on the cutter-head to present a different portion of its cuttin 'edge at said opening.

28.. In a heel machine, a cutter-head having a face-plate, a tubular cutter behind said face-plate having a circular cuttingedge a portion of which projects through a slot in the face-plate, a cutter-carrier on which the cutter is rotatably secured whereby a different portion of the cutting edge may be placed in said slot, and means for supporting the cutter-carrier on-the cutter-head.

29. In a heel machine, a cutter comprising a tube, and a cutter-carrier comprising a smooth ring fitting snugly within the cutter tube and having at one end a tie-plate the ends of which project beyond the ring to form shoulders.

against which one end of the cutter tube is seated, and through-bolts for engaging the other end of the tube.

30. A heel machine having, in combination,

. a rotary shaft, a cutter supported at one end of the shaft having acurved cutting edge, means for so moving the cutter that the cutting edge traversesa closed path in a plane beyond the end of the'shaft and to which the axis of the shaft is normal, means for engaging and holding a heel, and mechanism for causing said means to feed the heel edgewise in the plane traversed by the cutterfrom one side of said shaft to the other. I

31. A heel machine having, in combination, a rotary shaft, a cutter supported at one end of the shaft having a curved cutting edge that traverses a closed path in a plane beyond the 32. A heel machine having, in combination, 7

a rotary shaft, a cutter supported at one end of the shaft having a curved cutting edge that traverses a closed path in a plane beyond the end of the shaft and to which the axis of the shaft is normal, grippers for engaging wheel by its lateral surface, mechanism operating to advance said grippers and feedthe heel edgewise in the plane traversed by said cutter from one side of said shaft to the other, and means for closing and opening said grippers at the beginning and end of said feed move ment. V

33. A heel machine having, in combination,

the' end a rotary shaft, a cutter supported at one end ofthe shaft having a curved cutting edge that traverses a closed path in a plane beyond the end of the shaft to which the axis of the shaft is normal, grippers at one side of said shaft for seizing a heel presented thereto,

means for closing said grippers on a heel,

advancing the heel edgewise in'the plane trav ersed by said cutter to the other side of the shaft, opening said grippers to relea'sethe.

for seizing a heel presented thereto,,1nean s for closing said grippers ona heel, advancing the heel edgewise in the plane traversed by said cutter to the other side of the shaft, opening said grippers to releasethe heel and then returning said'grippers to their initial position, and means operating while the gripped heel is being operated upon by said cutter for advancinga new heel into position to be seized by the grippers on theirsaid return.

35. A heel machine having, in combination,

a rotary shaft, a cutter supported at one end of, theshaft having a curved cutting edge that traverses a closed path ina plane beyond the end of the shaft to which the axis of the shaft is normal, grippers at one side of said shaft for seizing a heel presented thereto, means for closing said grippers on a heel,'ad van'cing theheel edgewise in. the plane trav-' ersed by said cutter to the other side of the shaft, opening said grippers to release the heel and then returning said grippers to their initial position, and means operating while the gripped heel is being operated upon by said cutter for advancing a new heel into position to be seized by the-grippers on their said return and for retaining said new heel in such position while said grippers are returnmg.

36. A heel machine having, in combination, a rotary shaft, a cutter supported at one end of the shaft having a curved cutting edge that traverses a closed path in a plane beyond the end of the shaft to which the axis of the shaft is normal, a cross-head supporting grippers at one side of the shaft for seizing a heel, means for reciprocating said cross-head to advance a heel seized by the grippers edgewise in the plane traversed by said cutter to the other side of the shaft and then return the grippers to their initial position, a primary feed slide normally at the rear of the grippers in the line of feed that is under control of said cross-head and advances therewith while the gripped heel is being operated upon to feed a new heel into position to be seized by the grippers on their return, and a face that is uncovered by the advance of said primary feed slide against which a reserve heel may be held to be engaged by said primary feed slide on its return when the crosshead returns.

37. A heel machine having, in combination, a rotary shaft, a cutter supported at one end of the shaft having a curved cutting edge that traverses a closed path in a plane beyond the end of the shaft to which the axis of the shaft is normal, a cross-head supporting grippers at one side of the shaft for seizing a heel, means for reciprocating said cross-head to advance a heel seized by the grippers edgewise in the plane traversed by said cutter to the other side of the shaft and then return the grippers to their initial position, a primary feed slide movable with the cross-head during the time the gripped heel is being operated upon, means to then restrain said feed slide from further movement while the crosshead completes its advance but permitting said feed slide to be picked up by the crosshead on its return and then returned to its initial position at the rear of the grippers in the line of feed, and means uncovered by said feed slide when it advances for receiving a reserve heel, said feed slide operating at each cycle to advance a reserve heel into position to be seized by the grippers and then return for another reserve heel before said seizure takes place.

38. In a heel machine of the type in which a heel is fed past a cutter, means for simultaneously feeding two heels, to be operated upon successively, comprising a main feed cross-head for controlling the advance of the first heel past the cutter, and a primary feed slide the movement of which is under control of the main feed cross-head, for controlling the advance of a following heel to a position just outside the cutting path of the cutter.

39. In a heel machine of the type in which a heel is fed past a moving cutter, a primary feed slide for advancing a heel to a position just outside the cutting path of the cutter, a reciprocatory cross-head for advancing the heel from that position past the cutter, and means for retaining said heel outside said cutting path until a previous heel has been operated upon and the cross-head returns.

$0. In a heel machine of the type in which a heel is fed past a moving cutter, means for simultaneously feeding two heels, to be operated upon successively, comprising a heelway for directing the heels past the cutter, a reciprocatory cross-head constructed and arranged to engage and advance a heel in said heelway past the cutter and eject it, a primary feed slide constructed and arranged to move with said or -rs-head and engage and advance a second heel in said heelway behind the first heel and leave it outside the cutting path of the cutter, and means for receiving and holding a third heel at the entering end of the heelway, whereby on the return of the crosshead at each cycle said second heel is engaged and advanced past the cutter, said third heel is engaged and advanced to the cutter and the entering end of the heelway is emptied for receiving a new heel while said second heel is being operated upon.

il. A heci machine having, in combination a rectilin 1r heelway adapted to receive a heel cdgewise, a cutter comprising a curved blade that extends into said heelway, means for rotating said cutter bodily through a closed path in a plane parallel to the heelway whereby the cutter is caused to sweep through said heelway in traversing one portion of its orbit, means for feeding a heel, breast forward, to said cutter step-by-step, and means for adjusting the length of the feed step according to the size of the heel being operated upon whereby all heels receive an equal number of transverse cuts regardless of size. v

42. A heel machine having, in combination, a rectilinear heelway adapted to receive a heel edgewise, a cutter comprising a curved blade that extends into said heelway, means for rotating said cutter bodily through a closed path in a plane parallel to the heelway, means for feeding a heel, breast forward, to said cutter step-by-step, and means for varying the magnitude of said cutter path in accord ance with the width of the breast of the heel to be operated upon.

43. A heel machine having, in combination, a rectilinear heelway adapted to receive a heel edgewise, a cutter comprising a curved blade that extends into said heelway, means for r0- tating said cutter bodily through a closed path i to the axis of said shaft and into which said cutter extends, means to rotate the shaft whereby the cutter traverses a circular path and sweeps through the heelway in traversing one portion thereof, means for feeding a heel step-by-step through the heelway and past said portion of the cutter path, and means for adjusting the cutter relative to the axis of the shaft to vary the magnitude of said circular path in accordance with the breast width of the heel to be operated upon.

45. A heel machine having, in combination, a rotary driving shaft, a cutter mounted at one end thereof for movement bodily about the shaft, a heelway extending at right angles to the axis of said shaft and into which said cutter extends, means to rotate the shaft whereby the cutter traverses a circular path and sweeps through the heelway in traversing one portion thereof, means for feeding a varythe magnitude of said circular path in accordance with the style contour of the heel to be operated upon.

46. A heel machine having, in combination, a rotary shaft, a cutter carried at one end of said shaft for movement bodily about the 1 shaft and adjustable to vary its position relative to the axis of the shaft, a heelway extending at right angles to the axis of rotation of said shaft within which said cutter extends,

' means for feeding a heel step-by-step through the heelway and through the path of said cutter, means for adjusting the length of the feed step, and interconnected means for simultaneously varying the position of the cutter relative to the axis of the shaft to ac shaft, but with the plane of its own cutting edge oblique to the plane of said diameter, and means for rotating said shaft thereby causing said cutter to traverse a circular path in a plane substantially normal to its axis of rotation. I y 48. In a heel machine, the combination with a rotary shaft, cutter head and cutter having the characteristics defined by claim '31, of means for varying the radius of the circular path traversed by the cutter. V

49. In a heel machine, the combination with a rotary shaft, cutter-head and cutter having the characteristics defined by claim 31, of means for varying the distance from the end of the shaft of the path traversed by said cutter. y

50. In a heel machine, the combination with a rotary shaft, cutter-head and cutter means for varying the degree of said projection at the forward side of said face-plate.

51. In a heel machine, the combination with a rotary shaft, cutter-head and cutter having the characteristics defined by claim 31, of a face-plate on said cutter-head hav-;

ing an opening through which said cutter projects, and means for adjusting said cutter, radially of its axis of rotation, within said opening.

52. In a heel machine, the combination.

with 'a rotary shaft, cutter-head and cutter having the characteristics defined by claim 31, of means for simultaneously varying the radius of the circular path traversed by said cutter and the distance of said path from the end of the shaft.

53. A heel machine having, in combination, aheelway adapted to receive and guide a heel in a rectilinear path, means for feeding a heel, breast forward, through said heelway step-bystep, and means for concaving the'heel-sea-t face of said heel from breast to back by the removal of a succession of transverse chips from within the margin of the heel comprising a cutter having a curved cutby said cutter in accordance with the heel--:

width presented to the cutter by successive feed steps.

54. A heel machine having, in combination, a heelway adapted to receive and guide a heel in a rectilinear path, means for feeding a..

heel, breast forward, through said heelway step-bystep, and means for concaving the heel-seat face of said heel from breast to back by the removal of a succession of transverse chips from within the margin of the heel of varying depth comprising a cutter having a curved cutting edge projecting into said heelway, means for moving the cutter bodily through a closed path and means operated by the machine for decreasing the degree of projection of said cutter into the heelway after a predetermined number of feed steps.-

55. A heel machine having, in combination, a heelway adapted to rece've and guide a heel in a rectilinear path, means for feeding a heel, breast forward, through said heelway stepby-step, and means for concaving the heel-seat face of said heel from breast to back by the removal of a succession of trans verse chips from within the margin of the heel comprising a cutter having a curved cutting edge projecting into said heelway and means for moving the cutter bodily through a closed path, and means operating automatically after the heel has been concaved, and while the machine continues in operation, to withdraw the cutter from its position within the heelway.

56. A heel machine having, in combination, a heelway adapted to receive and guide a heel in a rectilinear path, means for feeding a 168i, breast forward, through said heelway step-by-step, and means for concaving the heel-seat face of said heel from breast to back by the removal of a succession of transverse chips from within the margin of the heel comprising a cutter having a curved cutting edge projecting into said heelway, means for rotating said cutter bodily through a circular path, and cam means for varying the radius of said circular path in accordance with the heel width presented to the cutter by successive feed steps.

57. A heel machine having, in combination, a heelway adapted to receive and guide a heel in a rectilinear path, means for feeding a heel, breast forward, through said heelway step-by-step, and means for concaving the heel-seat face of said heel from breast to back by the removal of a succession of transverse chips from within the margin of the heel of varying depth comprising a cutter having a curved cutting edge projecting into said hee way, means for rotating the cutter bodily through a circular path, and cam means operating to partially withdraw the cutter from said heelway after the breast end has been operated upon and to completely withdraw the cutter from the heelway after that step of the feed that has permitted the removal of a chip exending substantially parallel to the edge of the heel at its rear end.

58. In a machine for gouging heels the combination with a cutter having a curved cutting edge movable bodily in a closed path and means for feeding a heel in a rectilinear path across one portion of the sweep of said cutter, of means for mounting the cutter with the plane of its curved cutting edge oblique to the plane in which the heel is fed, whereby the cutter removes a transverse chip from the heel stock that forms a gouge of constant depth relative to the plane of the seatface of the heel.

59. In a machine for gouging heels the combination of a movable cutter having an arc-shaped cutting edge, said cutter being constructed, arranged and actuated to move in a path to cut a curved chip from said heel, and means for presenting the seat face of a heel thereto and for feeding the heel with said face in a plane so related to the path of the cutter that the curved chip is of constant thickness.

60. In a machine for gouging heels the combination with means for feeding a heel in a rectilinear path and a cutter movable bodily in a path transverse to the path of the heel and across its seat face, of means for controlling the relative movements of the heel and cutter cons ructed, arranged and operating to cause the cutter to enter the stock at one margin of the heel, traverse the central area at a constant depth and then emerge at the opposite margin of the heel.

61. In a machine for gouging heels the combination with a cutter having a short effective cut-ting edge movable bodily in a closed path and means for continuously moving said cutter, of means for feeding a heel step-by-step across a selected portion of the path of the cutter and in timed relation to movements of the cutter through said portion of its path whereby the cutter removes suc-.

cessive chips from the heel, and means for limiting the length of each feed step to an advance of the heel a less distance than the width of the chip removed by said effective cutting edge.

62. In a machine for gouging heels the combination with a curved cutter having a short effective cutting edge movable bodily in a. closed path, of means for feeding a heel past said cutter, and means for continuously moving the cutter to sweep successively across the seat face of the heel thereby to remove a succession of transverse curvedchips by a series of overlapping curved transverse cuts.

63. In a machine for gouging heels, a curved cutter, means for moving the cutter bodily in a circular path the diameter of which is less than the width of the heel, and means for feeding a heel breast forward across said path, from a position outside said path, with the plane of its heel-seat face parallel to the plane of said path, the construction and arrangement of parts being such that the cutter enters said face within the margin of the heel at one side, removes a curved chip of constant depth, and emerges at the other side of the heel within the margin thereof.

In testimony whereof We have signed .our names to this specification.

THOMAS H. SEELY. MILTON H. BALLARD. 

